Why is my face so oily? Causes of oily skin

Oily skin means the small oil glands in your skin make more oil than your skin needs. By midday your forehead, nose and chin shine, and makeup can slide off. This guide explains where that oil comes from, why some faces make more of it, and why skin can turn oily all of a sudden. It is general education. If you are not sure whether your skin is oily at all, start with how to find your skin type.

Where the oil on your face comes from

Every pore on your face is the opening of a hair follicle, a small tube in the skin that holds a fine hair. Attached to each follicle is an oil gland. NIAMS, the NIH institute for skin diseases, explains that in healthy skin these glands make an oil called sebum, and the oil flows out onto the skin through the pore. The oil keeps the skin from drying out.

MedlinePlus, the health site of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, defines oily skin in one line: it is the result of the oil glands producing large amounts of oil. So oily skin is a matter of amount. Everyone makes skin oil. People with oily skin make more.

The face shines first because it has many of these glands packed close together. A 1976 study by the dermatologists Gerd Plewig and Helmut Wolff described areas of the face that are rich in oil glands, and found the most oil plugs in the center of the face and on the sides of the nose. This is the same area the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) calls the T-zone: the forehead, nose and chin.

Genes and hormones set your oil level

MedlinePlus says your genes and hormones play a key role in whether or not you have oily skin. Both are outside your control.

Genes. Oily skin tends to run in families. If a parent had oily skin or acne as a teenager, you are more likely to have the same. NIAMS says you may be more likely to get acne if your parents had acne.

Hormones. The hormones that matter most are androgens, often called male sex hormones, although all people make them. NIAMS explains that androgens rise in both boys and girls during puberty and cause the oil glands to grow larger and make more oil. This is why oily skin so often starts at puberty.

Age changes the picture too. The AAD says that with age our skin makes less of this oil, and that by your 40s the amount drops a great deal. By 60, the AAD says, nearly everyone has dry skin. A face that was oily at 16 may be normal or dry at 50.

Why skin turns oily all of a sudden

Skin that was fine for years and then turns greasy in a few weeks usually has a cause you can find. These are the ones that sources name.

What changed	What the source says
A hormone change	The NHS lists hormone changes during puberty, periods, pregnancy and menopause as causes of acne
A harsher face wash	The AAD says a face wash that is too harsh can irritate skin and trigger more oil
Drier skin from treatment or weather	The AAD says that when skin becomes dry, the body makes more oil
A new greasy product	The NHS lists products on your skin or hair that make skin greasy as a cause of acne
A new medicine	NIAMS says some medicines, such as ones that contain hormones, corticosteroids or lithium, can cause acne

Hormone changes. Many women notice oilier skin and more spots in the days before a period. Pregnancy and menopause change hormone levels too. NIAMS says hormonal changes related to pregnancy can cause acne. For breakouts that follow a monthly pattern, see hormonal acne vs regular acne.

Washing too hard. When skin feels greasy, it is natural to wash it more often with a stronger cleanser. The AAD warns that this can make the oil worse. Its oily skin page says many people believe they need a strong face wash to dry out oily skin, and that a wash that is too harsh can irritate the skin and trigger increased oil production. The AAD's advice is a mild, gentle face wash, used up to twice a day and after sweating.

Dry, irritated skin. Acne treatments such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and adapalene dry the skin. The AAD's page on moisturizer says that when your skin becomes dry, your body makes more oil, and the extra oil can clog pores. Skin can feel tight and look shiny at the same time for this reason.

A new product. Hair oils, heavy creams and some makeup can leave oil on the skin. The NHS lists products that make skin greasy among the causes of acne. If the oiliness started after a new product, stop that product and watch your skin. The AAD says acne caused by oily hair products can take 4 to 6 weeks to clear after you stop them.

A new medicine. If oily skin or acne started after a new prescription, keep taking the medicine and ask the doctor who prescribed it. NIAMS lists medicines that contain hormones, corticosteroids or lithium among those that can cause acne. Stopping a prescribed medicine on your own can be harmful.

Food, dirt and other common beliefs

Food. MedlinePlus says diet probably has little, if anything, to do with whether or not you have oily skin. NIAMS says some studies show that certain foods may make acne worse, and that research is still going on. These two statements fit together: food is unlikely to set your oil level, and a small number of people may find that a food affects their breakouts. Does diet cause acne? sets out what the research shows about milk and sugar.

Dirt. Oily skin comes from how your glands work. NIAMS explains that blackheads look black because air changes the color of the oil in the pore, and dirt has no part in it. More scrubbing will irritate the skin and, as the AAD says, can make it look worse.

Oil as a benefit. The AAD points out that oily skin has many benefits. Oil helps preserve the skin, and people with oily skin tend to have thicker skin and fewer wrinkles. The goal is to control shine and breakouts, and to leave the skin's oil in place.

Oily skin and acne

Oily skin and acne often come together, and MedlinePlus says oily skin may lead to acne. NIAMS describes the steps. Skin oil, dead skin cells and the fine hair stick together inside the pore. The plug keeps the oil from reaching the surface. Bacteria that normally live on the skin then grow in the plugged pore and cause redness and swelling.

NICE, the health guideline body for England, says acne is marked by oily skin and blocked pores. That is why its guideline tells people with acne to avoid oil-based moisturizers and sunscreens.

Oily skin can also feel tight after washing, which dehydrated skin vs dry skin explains. If you do get breakouts, the complete acne skincare routine covers the treatment steps.

When oily skin needs a doctor

Oily skin on its own is common and harmless. A few patterns are worth showing to a doctor.

• Oily skin with irregular periods, extra hair on the face or body, or hair loss. The NHS lists oily skin and acne as main symptoms of PMOS, the hormone condition that used to be called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The NHS says having these symptoms does not mean you have it, and that it is important to get them checked. A doctor can test hormone levels with a blood test.
• Acne that is deep, painful or leaving scars. The NHS says to see a GP if you have lots of spots or spots that are deep, painful or causing scars, or if home treatment is not helping.
• Oiliness you want to reduce with medicine. MedlinePlus says a health care provider may recommend or prescribe creams that absorb oil or limit how much the skin makes. The NHS says prescription retinoids such as tretinoin and adapalene reduce inflammation and oiliness.

What helps next

Knowing the cause tells you what to change. If a harsh wash or a greasy product started it, swap the product. If it is your genes and hormones, a steady routine controls the shine: a gentle cleanser twice a day, a light oil-free moisturizer, and sunscreen. The oily skin routine lists each step with the AAD's advice. If you see small gray dots on your nose and wonder whether they mean oily skin, read about sebaceous filaments.